or CLASSICAL, an epithet, chiefly applied to authors read in the classics at schools.

This term seems to owe its origin to Tullius Servius, who, in order to make an estimate of every person's estate, divided the Roman people into five bands, which he called clasae. The estate of the first class was not to be under 200l. and these by way of eminence were called clasae, "classics," hence authors of the first rank came to be called clasae, all the rest being said to be infra clasae: thus Aristotle is a classic author in philosophy; Aquinas in school divinity, &c.

CLASSICUM was the alarm for battle, given by the Roman generals, and sounded by trumpets and other martial music throughout the army.